Image recording apparatus

Abstract

An image recording apparatus for preparing a printing master film for textile printing includes an image recording unit including at least one thermal head for recording images on a recording material; a recording material transportation unit for transporting the recording material, including a platen roller for bringing the recording material into contact with the thermal head so as to for images or the recording material, and a back-up roller which is in pressure contact with the platen roller at an opposite position to the position where the recording material is brought into contact with the thermal heads by the platen roller; and a disk brake for controlling the rotation of the back-up roller, connected to the back-up roller.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image recording apparatus comprising: an image recording unit comprising at least one thermal head for recording images on a recording material;   a recording material transportation unit for transporting said recording material comprising a platen roller for bringing said recording material into contact with said thermal head so as to form images on said recording material, and a back-up roller which is in pressure contact with said platen roller at an opposite position to a position of said platen roller where said recording material is brought into contact with said thermal head by said platen roller, wherein the back-up roller is positioned downstream of the direction of transportation of said recording material with respect to a line connecting the contact point of said recording material with the platen roller and an axis of rotation of the platen roller; and   a disk brake for controlling the rotation of said back-up roller, which is connected to said back-up roller.   
     
     
       2. The image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a tension-application roller for applying tension to said recording material in the transport direction thereof, which is disposed downstream of said image recording unit with respect to the transportation direction of said recording material. 
     
     
       3. The image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tension-application roller is a grit roller. 
     
     
       4. The image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recording unit further comprises a pressure-application adjustment unit for applying pressure to said thermal head in such direction that said thermal head is brought into pressure contact with said recording material, and for adjusting said pressure. 
     
     
       5. The image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said platen roller comprises a rubber with hardness of 40 degrees to 50 degrees at least in an outer surface layer thereof. 
     
     
       6. The image recording apparatus un accordance with claim 1, further comprising a heat-uniformizing section comprising a heat dissipation block having a built-in heat pipe.